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The football team, which is 0-3, was scheduled to play Ellsworth High School at home at 1 p.m. Saturday.

Ithomitis said the team's loss to Bucksport, a game during which four players were injured, was a factor in the decision to cancel.

Despite losing 24 players from last season, coach Thad Chilton said his remaining 26 student athletes are more than ready to play, even with what the school has termed "elevated risk."

"I know that our players and our families don't share that same concern because they're football people," Chilton said.

One senior and varsity player told WMTW News 8, "If a kid feels unsafe playing football, he shouldn't be out there."

Both parents and players were visibly disappointed by the school's decision Thursday night.

"It was such a rash decision and we feel like we have no say in the matter," Keirstin Delano, a parent, said.

Some of the players, including the three girls who are on the team, disagree with the school's position.

"They said we had three girls and 13 freshman so we were a weak team," Kesha Lane said.

"It's not the fact that they're girls," Ithomitis said. "It's the fact that most of our kids are young, inexperienced football players. And they're competing against older, stronger, bigger kids to the point that their safety is at risk."

Officials also praised the support provided by the Maine Principal's Association and the Little Ten Football Conference, saying they "did everything they could to help us sustain our program."

Michael Burnham, MPA assistant executive director, told WMTW News 8 Thursday that the organization supports the school and realizes it made a difficult decision.

Under MPA rules, schools that forfeit a sports season are barred from playing that sport for the next two seasons, Burnham said.